photo by: John Young

Carson Pine, 12, of Lawrence holds up his cousin, Sam Haist, 7, of Shawnee to kiss Clyde the goat before showing him during the Dairy Goat & Meat Goat Show at the Douglas County Fair on Tuesday, July 28, 2015.

Being president of the Douglas County Fair Board has one big perk, Matthew Fishburn said.

“Every morning, we have the president’s pie contest,” he said. “Residents from all over the county bring in pies for the contest, and then we have different organizations decide the best ones. I get to eat them to make the final decision. That’s what I enjoy the most, eating all those pies.”

Fishburn is serving his last year as president of the fair board, a position he has held for four years. His final year will be a transitionary one for the fair as work continues with the $7.95 million renovation of the fairgrounds. In late June, crews were installing new fairgrounds’ parking lots to the north and south of the Douglas County Extension Office and at the new Meeting Hall.

“Everything is on schedule or ahead of schedule,” he said.

The fair will be “a little different” with its mix of new facilities, ongoing construction of the open air pavilion that will be ready for the 2017 fair and the final year of such structures as the livestock show barns and the Derby Arena, which will be razed at the conclusion of the fair to make way for more construction, Fishburn said. That might cause conflicted feelings among some who have memories of spending childhood 4-H days in the old buildings, he said.

“I’m sure there will be some people sad to see those buildings torn down, but I think when they see the new buildings they’ll appreciate them a lot more,” he said.

Fishburn won’t be a stranger to the fair after he steps down from the fair board this year. His 7-year-old daughter Paige is starting her 4-H career by exhibiting with other members of the Clinton Eagles 4-H Club.

His daughter will be following in his footsteps. Growing up, he took woodworking and horticulture projects to the fair as a member of the Lone Star 4-H Club, Fishburn said. The best part of the experience was making friends and hanging out with members from other clubs, he said. He views joining the fair board six years ago as a way of giving back.

“I was in 4-H as a kid and wanted to do something to help out with the fair,” he said. “I figured I’d put in my time and help with the community.”

Margaret Kalb, executive secretary for the fair board, said that although many view the county fair as a rural gathering, the fair board seeks to make the fair a memory-making event for all county residents.

Those events with wide appeal this year range from the Touch a Truck event, at which youngsters can get hands-on experience with trucks and equipment, to a homemade ice cream contest.

“I love homemade ice cream, so I’m excited about the contest,” she said. “I hope we get a lot of fun recipes, more than just vanilla.”

Lawrence’s vibrant restaurant scene will once again be celebrated with the Chef Challenge, set for July 27 in the Meeting Hall.

“I think the featured item this year is okra, so the chefs will have to make a dish with okra,” Kalb said.

Also on July 27, the Community Mercantile is sponsoring a Naturally Nutritious Food Festival and Contest that should appeal to the increasing number of people interested in healthy, locally produced food, Kalb said. It will have open categories of fresh salsa, Kansas cuisine, from-your-garden and healthy fruit desserts, as well as children’s vegetable and fruit snack categories, she said.

Meanwhile, the July 29 demolition derby and July 30 lawnmower derby are fun for all who enjoy mayhem, Kalb said, admitting the latter is a guilty pleasure.

“It’s pretty fun to watch them crash their lawnmowers out there,” she said. “They don’t have mower decks, so they are safe that way. But they can be hit hard enough to tip them over.”

2016 Douglas County Fair schedule of events

Saturday, July 16

9 a.m.

4-H Pet Show, Bldg. 21S

1 p.m.

4-H Dog Show, Bldg. 21N

Monday, July 18

8:30 a.m.

4-H Fashion Revue Judging, Bldg. 21

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

4-H Clothing Consultation Judging, Dreher Building

Tuesday, July 19

7 p.m.

4-H Public Fashion Revue, Bldg. 21

Saturday, July 23

7:30 a.m.

Superintendent’s Appreciation and Kickoff Breakfast, Bldg 2

8:30 a.m.

Building Set-Up

8 to 8:45 a.m.

4-H Horse Show Check-in, Community Bldg.

8:50 a.m.

4-H Horse Show Orientation Meeting and Flag Ceremony, Community Bldg.

9 a.m.

4-H Horse Show, Community Bldg.

Noon to 12:30 p.m.

4-H Horse Show Check-in for those participating in racing events only

Sunday, July 24

8:30 a.m.

Open Horse Show Check-in, Community Bldg.

9 a.m.

Open Horse Show

6 p.m.

Beef Tie-out Set-up, Ball fields, Set Up Community Building for Livestock

Monday, July 25

1 to 7 p.m.

Enter & Consultation Judging on all 4-H Visual Arts, Heritage Arts, A Way With Waste, Crops, Horticulture, Flowers, Foods and Food Preservation, Photography, Project Displays, SpaceTech, Woodworking and Ag Education exhibits. Enter 4-H Clothing Exhibits

1 to 7 p.m.

Enter All Open Class Crops, Fine Arts, Flowers, Foods, Food Preservation, Horticulture & Quilts

5 to 7 p.m.

Enter & Consultation Judging on 4-H Banners, Cloverbuds, Energy Management, Entomology, Flowers, Forestry, Geology, & Home Environment exhibits

6 to 9 p.m.

Dairy, Dairy & Market Goats, Llamas, Poultry, Rabbits, Sheep & Swine. Entry time for Beef & Bucket Calves to be determined later

7 p.m.

Consultation judging on Ag Education exhibits & Judging of Open Class Flowers

Tuesday, July 26

7:30 to 9:30 a.m

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8 a.m.

Poultry Show, Poultry Barn

8 a.m.

Judging of all Open Class Crops, Fine Arts, Foods, Food Preservation, Horticulture & Quilts

8 a.m.

Market Goat & Sheep Weigh-In

10 a.m.

Market Hog Weigh-In

12:30 p.m.

Market Beef Weigh-In

3 to 4 p.m

Meet and Eat — Free snack for Kids 18 and Under at the Meeting Hall

3 to 9 p.m.

Building 21 & Dreher Building Open to Public

3 to 6 p.m.

Food Sale, Building 21

5 p.m.

4-H/Open Dairy Goat and Meat Goat Show Judging Arena, Meat Goat Show 4-H/FFA, (Showmanship. Pee Wee Showmanship. Breeding Classes for Dairy & Meat Goats. Meat Goat Classes)

6 to 8 p.m.

“Touch A Truck,” Blacktop Area

6 to 8 p.m.

Homemade Ice Cream Contest, Meeting Hall

7 to 10 p.m.

Alferd Packer Memorial String Band, Blacktop Area

Wednesday, July 27

7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8:30 a.m.

Llama Show, Judging Arena

9 a.m.

Poultry Showman Contest, Poultry Barn

11 a.m.

4-H and Open Dairy Show

Noon to 2 p.m.

Horticulture Judging Contest Bldg 2, Consumer Judging Contest, Bldg. 2, Photography Judging Contest, Bldg. 2, Reading Contest, Bldg. 2

1 to 10 p.m.

Petting Zoo, Building 8

3 to 4 p.m

Meet and Eat — Free snack for Kids 18 and Under at the Meeting Hall

4 to 10 p.m.

Pony Rides, Building 8

5 p.m.

Swine Show in Judging Arena (Showmanship, Pee Wee Showmanship. Breeding Gilts. Market Hogs)

6 to 8 p.m.

Chef’s Challenge, Meeting Hall

6 to 7 p.m.

Naturally Nutritious Food Festival, Bldg. 21

6 to 11 p.m.

Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival Open

7 p.m.

Renegade Hot Rod Garden Tractor Pull, Rodeo Arena

7 p.m.

Judging of Naturally Nutritious Food Festival Exhibits (public sampling immediately following judging)

7 to 10 p.m.

Musical performance by Whiskey Rich, Blacktop Area

Thursday, July 28

Building open to public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8 a.m.

Dairy Goat Milking Contest Milk Out

8 a.m.

Rabbit Show, Judging Arena (Meat Pen Rabbits, Breeding Classes. Rabbit Showmanship and Judging Contest)

1 p.m.

Livestock Judging Contest, Judging Arena (start with cattle)

1 to 4 p.m.

Farm Bureau Dunk Tank Food Drive, Black Top Area

1 to 10 p.m.

Petting Zoo, Bldg 8

3 to 4 p.m.

Meet and Eat — Free snack for Kids 18 and Under at the Meeting Hall

4 to 10 p.m.

Pony Rides, Bldg 8

6 p.m. Sheep Show – 4-H/FFA/Open in Judging Arena (Showmanship, Pee Wee Showmanship, Open Class Rams, Breeding Ewes 4-H/FFA/Open Classes. Market Lambs 4-H/FFA)

6 to 11 p.m.

Family Night Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival

7 p.m.

Antique Tractor Pull, Rodeo Arena

8 p.m.

Dairy Goat Milking Contest Milk Out

7 to 10 p.m.

Musical performance by “Kim & The Quake”

Friday, July 29

Building open to public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

8:30 a.m.

Bucket Calf Show followed by PeeWee Bucket Calf Showmanship, & Beef Show, Community Building (Market Beer, Showmanship, Breeding Beef)

1 p.m.

Auction cards due at Fair Board Office, Building 21S

1 to 10 p.m.

Petting Zoo, Building 8

3 to 4 p.m

Meet and Eat – Free snack for Kids 18 and Under at the Meeting Hall

4 to 10 p.m.

Pony Rides, Building 8

6 p.m.

Bale Throwing Contest, Blacktop Area; co-sponsored by Douglas County Farm Bureau. Registration 5:30 p.m.

6 p.m. to midnight

Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival Open

7:30 p.m.

Demolition Derby, Rodeo Arena

Saturday, July 30

Building open to public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Accept President’s Pie Baking Entries, Dreher Building

9 a.m.

Round Robin Showmanship Classic Final

9 a.m.

Turtle Race, Stage Area on Blacktop

10:30 a.m.

Pedal Tractor Pull, co-sponsored by Douglas County Farm Bureau, Blacktop area. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m.

10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Petting Zoo and Pony Rides, Bldg 8

11 a.m.

Barnyard Olympics, Old Judging Arena

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Release All Non-Sale Beef And Bucket Calves

1 to 5 p.m.

Family Day, Moore’s Greater hows Carnival

5 p.m.

State Fair Entries Due in Extension Office

5 p.m.

Awards Ceremony, Blacktop area in front of stage

5 to 11 p.m.

Moore’s Greater Shows Carnival Open

6:30 p.m.

4-H Livestock Auction, Community Building

7 to 10 p.m.

Musical Performance By SELLOUT

7:30 p.m.

“Mow bashers” Lawn Mower Demolition Derby — Rodeo Arena, Gates open at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 31

8 to 10 a.m.

Release all exhibits